Unforgettable
by lmaoxlovee
Summary: I thought I was invisible; an antisocial, psychopathic nerd stuck in a world full of cliques and cliches. That is until he winked at me, thus turning my whole world upside down, making me want to change my life and turn it into something worth living. TXG
1. Please Tell Me Why

**Hey readers, here's a short one! I was pretty much just bored and had this idea in the back of my head. Most of the stories I've read that are in the main character's POV are so funny so I thought I'd give it a shot. Please let me know what you think and if I should write more like this. If I get good feedback on this chapter, it will probably end up being around five chapters overall, give or take. Hope you like it and please review, it would put a smile on my face.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own High School Musical.  
**

Unforgettable

Chapter 1

Please Tell Me Why

Equiangular…no equilateral…when the base angles of a triangle equal the same, then the perpendicular lines equal the same also…what the frick? Okay Gabi, don't get all bitch on steroids because of a stupid math problem. Breathe and try again...

Okay so you're probably wondering who is the freak with the weird thoughts about math. Yup, you guessed right. Me, Gabriella whoop-dee-doo Montez. No, whoop-dee-do isn't actually my middle name. I just think it's appropriate, don't you? I mean, what's so special about me? I freakin' sit in my room every Saturday night trying to conquer the evils of homework. Most teenagers actually have lives and do things other than homework, like hang out with friends. If I had friends…then I could do that. I do have two friends actually; I'm not a complete loner. Their names are Taylor and Sharpay, without them, I don't know where I'd be. We're like sisters, the Three Musketeers.

Just in case you're wondering, I'm sixteen years old. Don't make fun, I know I act totally immature, but whatevs, I like to savor my youth. I have one older brother, Danny, but he's a douche. No really, he is. All he does is eat, sleep, and play basketball. Ty-pi-cal. I always tell him to get a life, but sadly, I have to admit he probably has more of a life than me. Although I do have two best friends, I basically have a nonexistent social life. Occasionally me, Taylor, and Sharpay have a sleepover, go see a movie, do girly stuff, yah know the usual. But unlike me, they have other friends and are really involved at school. Oh yah, school blah. I go to East High. If I had to define my high school, it would be easy as pie (shit now I'm hungry). It's an overpopulated, drama-drowned, extremely spirited complex for education that is divided into numerous cliques. The teachers are nice and all, but seriously, I doubt they actually want to be there any more than we do. In my opinion, they are unfairly underpaid and if I were a teacher in this economy, I'd bitch-cott. Rebellious signs and all, I'd even go all out and give myself battle marks. I'm smiling at just the thought.

"Gabi! Dinner's hot, come get it!" Did I forget to mention my parents?

"Coming Mom!" They're pretty alright. Parents are…parents. Can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em.

I closed my math book and hopped off my bed with a sigh, maybe if I'm lucky there will be pie. Now that's the kind of math I like. Oh my gosh, no wonder I hardly have any friends. Man, what has my life come to? Serious changes need to be made or else I'm going to be FTFA. In case you don't know what that means, it stands for Forever The Fuck Alone. Me, Tay, and Shar made that up when we were like fifteen. We promised each other we'd make life worth it and do everything we can to make sure we don't end up FTFA. Hah, first promise I've ever broken. I still have time for redemption though right? I just have to stop being a complete weenie and make my life more…lively. Pfft who am I kidding?

I trudged down the stairs in my t-shirt, shorts, and really comfy white leg warmers with buttons on the side. They match and everything. I reached the kitchen and scanned the room. My eyes landed first on my parents who were acting all lovey-dovey by the counter. I smiled at them then turned to sit down at the table. What happened next was not what I'd expected.

"Oh jeez, I'm sorry." Two strong arms wrapped around my waist, saving me from a potentially very embarrassing fall flat on my face. I turned around and came face to face (literally) with the most gorgeous blue eyes I have ever seen. I didn't even bother looking at the rest of the mysterious person's face, I was too busy getting mesmerized with the two pools of blue in my line of vision.

"You alright?" Then I was snapped back to reality. I blinked a few times and then stared wide eyed at the not-so-mysterious- anymore, person who still had an arm wrapped around me.

Breathe and use your words Gabriella. Oh crap. I forgot them all. No I didn't, I'm freaking thinking them right now! I just can't say them out loud. Even worse. I breathed in and out slowly then…

"Oh…uh, yeah. I'm fine thanks." Phew, that was a close one.

He let go of me with a smile then brushed past me. Hell to the no am I turning around. Don't do it Gabi. You're just going to end up starring at him and he's going to think you're a creep with bad hair. Oh why didn't I put my hair in a braid or something, it probably looks like a birds nest!

"Gabs, are you going to sit down or just stand there like a noob?" Oh dear brother of mine. Of course Danny is the first to speak up.

Two more deep breaths and I turned around. I kept my head down, just to make sure I don't make any awk eye contact with the blue eyed boy sitting in the seat next to my brother. I target my chair and slowly walk toward it. Are. You. Kidding. Me. Thanks, Mom for putting my chair directly in front of Troy Bolton's. Thanks a lot, really. Now I'm going to have to keep my head down and stare at my plate. Oh god, what if that makes me look fat? Nah, I run. I think I'm good. I sat down and then remembered that stupid remark Danny made. I can't not retaliate, It'd make me look like a wimp.

"Shut your yap Danny! You can't make me do anything; I can stand and stare at the wall for as long as I want." Hmpf.

"I don't make trash." What. A. Smartass. But I can do better.

"Yes, but one day you will. You're too dumb to actually get anywhere in the future, so you're going to have to make a living somehow right? I think you'd look spiffy as a garbage man. It'd suit you perfectly." Take that!

Before Danny could reply, I heard the most angelic laugh in the world. My head shot up, grrr I hate my pathetically low self control, and I smiled as I watched Troy chuckle in his seat. He was laughing at me! Well, not at _me, _at my joke! Oh em gee, does he think I'm funny? Sigh, I'm in love. Wait, what? Who said that? Me, of course. Okay so you're probably wondering who this Troy is. Well he's the boy who I've been secretly in love with for two years. He is damn straight a hottie with a surfer's body; I've seen it. Unfortunately, he's my brother's best friend so he's kinda off limits. It's not like it'd matter anyways, he would never go for someone like me. He's my total opposite; popular, everyone knows him, everyone wants to be his friend, he's pretty much god like. He's been around ever since I can remember. He and my brother have been inseparable since they were like toddlers. Me and him have never really been close, well because he's Troy freaking Bolton. Why would he want to be friends with Gabriella whoop-dee-doo Montez? I'm a nobody to him and he's everything to me. Sigh, what a bummer.

"Dude, don't encourage her! She's just a smartass who needs her mouth taped shut." Danny nudged Troy who stopped laughing. To my joy, he still had a cute little lopsided smile plastered on his face, my favorite smile. He looked at me and I quickly turned my head away.

"Danny, go somewhere." I couldn't come up with a good comeback; I'm still recovering from that lopsided smile of Troy's. Sheesh, the things that boy does to me. And he doesn't even know it.

"What the he-

"Daniel, that's enough. You too, Gabi. We have a guest and I doubt he wants to sit through your bickering." My mom chimed in, sending both me and my brother that 'don't test me' look.

"Sorry mom." I whispered, Danny mimicking me shortly after.

Dinner went by pretty smoothly, I sneakily avoided Troy's gaze. But all the while my head was down, I kept feeling like I was being watched. Like a penetrating gaze on me, eh I was probably imagining it. Danny and Troy went out to the backyard to shoot hoops and I retreated back to my room. As soon as I entered my room, I narrowed my eyes at my math homework on my bed. It's time for a change. In a few quick strides I reached my bed and swiped all of my stuff onto the floor. It was kind of late to call Taylor or Sharpay, but I could have fun in my room by myself. I don't care what I do, but I'm determined to make this Saturday night fun. I grabbed my IPod from my side table and plugged it into its speakers. I skimmed through my songs 'til I landed on the perfect one. _Please Tell Me Why_ by Blink 182. It's pretty old but it's perfect for this _rare_ occasion. I put the speakers as high as they could go and smiled as the song, very loudly, started. The guitars blared and I bobbed my head, feeling my adrenaline pumping. I grabbed my brush from my dresser and started belting out along with the words.

_Can we forget about the things I said when I was drunk  
I didn't mean to call you that  
I can't remember what was said  
Or what you threw at me_

I jumped up on my bed and started whipping my hair back and forth along with the beat.

_Please tell me  
Please tell me why  
My car is in the front yard  
And I'm sleeping with my clothes on  
Came in through the window last night  
And you're gone  
Gone_

The music was so loud; I could hardly hear my voice over the music.

_It's no surprise to me I am my own worst enemy  
Cuz every now and then I kick the living shit out of me  
The smoke alarm is going off and there's a cigarette Still burning_

During my spontaneous moment of fun, I completely forgot that there are others in the house. So it's safe to say I didn't hear the two pairs of feet coming up the stairs and my door swinging open. I didn't even see the two boys in my room as they were yelling my name. I was so engulfed with the song, jumping up and down on my bed and singing my lungs out and to make things worse my eyes were closed. Then, out of nowhere, the music stopped and my eyes shot open. Oh god, kill me now.

"Are you deaf? Turn down your damn music, none of us can hear what we're doing! And since when do you jump around your room like a freaking child, singing along to stupid rock songs?" Whilst Danny was ranting, I had my eyes locked on the figure in my doorway. Troy was leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed with an amused smirk on his face. Even though he's technically one year older than me, he must be thinking how friggin' immature and idiotic I look, I mean, come on. Who wouldn't think I was on crack with the way I probably just looked?

"Gabriella, are you freaking listening to me! I'm gonna chuck your stupid IPod out the window, keep it down!" At Danny's words, my eyes snapped away from Troy's and turned to Danny's PO'ed glare.

"Uh…I…Sorry." I stuttered out. Just let me waste away in a dark hole. It would be better than this utter humiliation. The nerd rocking out like a ten year old on drugs.

Danny just sent me one last menacing glare before storming out of my room.

"Great song." My head snapped back to the door, where Troy was still leaning against the frame. I couldn't speak so I just nodded stupidly. God Gabriella, could you get any lamer? I thought he'd just leave my room laughing but oh how I was wrong. His smirk turned into a smile and then _it_ happened. He winked at me. Troy Bolton winked at me. I must have been dreaming. No, no I just pinched myself. That was real. It was like slow motion, he sent me the sexiest wink I have ever seen, then turned swiftly out of my room. My mouth dropped open and I fell back on my bed, starring at my ceiling as if in dreamland. Did that seriously just happen? Troy doesn't just wink at anyone. At East High, when he winks at a girl, a variety of high pitched squeals follows. His winks are sacred to the female population and if you're actually lucky enough to witness one, it's usually to a group of girls. But hot damn. He just winked at _me._ Me! That ladies and gentlemen, is something I will _never_ forget.

**What do you think? Should I continue this? PLEASE REVIEW and let me know what you guys think because I will only continue this if I get good feedback so please let me know if it's worth it. If I do continue this, it's going to be really short. Probably not more than maybe five chapters. I don't really know where I'm going with this anyways, but eh you never know! REVIEW :) **

**Btdubs, I do not own the song **_**Please Tell Me Why**_** by Blink 182!**


	2. Changes

**Alright, here's chapter 2! Thank you to everyone who reviewed, I really appreciate that you took your time to write a few words. Hope this doesn't come out crappy. Love you all and again, please review! It gives me the motivation to update faster, it really does.**

Chapter 2

Changes

_Beep Beep Beep Beep_

I swatted the annoying alarm clock on my bedside table and after a few slaps, it shut up. Yipee, it's Monday. The absolutely worst day of the week. It's the day that you trudge through tiredly, only to realize you have the whole rest of the week you can't run from. I got up from my super comfortable bed with a sigh and headed towards my bathroom. Thank god I have my own bathroom, if I had to share with the barbarian next door, AKA Danny, I would probably run away and pitch a tent in God knows where just so I wouldn't have to deal with his blah-ness. I mean, he is a boy. And a jock. Put those two together and you get serious BO. Body. Odor.

I started to brush my teeth in a circular motion when a light bulb went off in my head, more like exploded actually. Today is the day I see Troy, after he winked at me! What's it going to be like? Is he even going to acknowledge me? Is it going to be how it usually is? Will he ever wink at me again? I finished brushing my teeth; millions of questions were running around in my head. But then I remembered one crucial element. Troy Bolton was…Troy Bolton. Knowing my overactive imagination, I could have fantasized the whole thing. Maybe he had something in his eye…No! I couldn't have imagined it, I'm not _that_ crazy. You know what, today is a brand new day. I'm not going to stress over what happened Saturday night, I am putting the past behind me. This Monday might be just another boring start of the week, but I could make it something more. I will not be FTFA.

I went to my radio and turned up the music, not so loud though, I don't want a rerun of Saturday night. _Firework_ by Katy Perry was playing. Perfect song to encourage me! I busted open my closet door and started rummaging around it, looking for something I don't usually wear. I'm usually the jeans and a t-shirt kinda gal, but today is a new day, a different day. So I dug deep down until I found this really cute jean skirt that Sharpay got me for my birthday last year. I never had the guts to wear it because it is kind of short but this new day has also brought me a new confidence. I found myself silently thanking…myself hah for shaving last night. I pulled on the skirt, smoothed on some lotion and then proceeded to search for a top. I found this dark blue spaghetti strap tank top and thought eh why not. Then I pulled out a tan-gold-ish cardigan sweater thing that was long and flowy. There's one button on it, but I left it open. I went over to my dresser and plopped myself in the chair, not easily if I might add, skirts are hard to sit in. I decided I'd put on at least a little make up, just to highlight my new look. I put on some brown-gold eye shadow, eyeliner, and mascara. My eyes popped, I love it! Maybe make up wasn't so bad after all. I sprayed my hair with some products to keep the messy curls in place, usually I wear it in either a high or low pony tail, but after putting a bunch of hairspray and other goop, it looked alright. It was still messy, but a _sexy _messy. Oh my gosh, I just called myself sexy. Pathetic.

I shook out the discouraging thoughts and went back to my closet to find appropriate shoes. I came across these brown heeled boots that my mom gave me for Christmas this one year. Heels, another thing I never had the guts to wear. But now I do. So HAH. I slowly walked over to my full length mirror, scared of what the outcome would look like. I had my eyes closed, too much of a coward to open them. Then I took a deep breath, replayed Troy's wink in my head for encouragement, then shot my eyes open bravely. What I saw was definitely not _me_.

The girl in the mirror was actually…not bad looking. Damn, I did good. Props to me! I smiled at myself one more time in the mirror then grabbed my backpack and headed downstairs. I stepped into the kitchen and my family was surprised is a total understatement. They all dropped what they were doing, my mom had a pancake in midair, the newspaper slipped out of my dad's hand, and Danny's mouth was just hung open, with food still in it. Gross.

"Close your mouth Danny, flies will swarm in." I said calmly, as if nothing had changed.

My mom was the first to speak, thank God, "Gab-Gabriella? Um, wow sweetheart, don't you look…different."

Oh crap, I look awful don't I. Thanks mom, as if I wasn't insecure enough.

"You look beautiful!" She added in, thank you thank you thank you!

"Thanks Momma." I mumbled just loud enough for her to hear.

"Yes peanut, you look mesmerizing." Gotta love daddy.

"Thank you." I blushed; I wasn't used to all the attention. Never liked it.

"What the hell happened to you!" Dear old Danny. "Since when did you get…good looking?" I think that was a compliment…

"Can we just go? I don't want to be late." I changed the subject then grabbed a pancake and a granola bar from the table. I got in the car, waiting for Danny to get in the driver's seat. I munched on my little breakfast quietly; trying to ignore the looks my brother kept shooting me the whole drive to school.

We arrived at East High, parking in a nearby space. I hopped out of car and headed toward the entrance, Danny hot on my trail. He came up beside me and kept glancing at me, it was really getting annoying. Especially because he is Captain Obvious.

"Can you stop looking at me like I'm an alien!" I finally cracked.

"Sorry, it's just you look so different. What brought this on?" He seemed genuinely curious. Hmm, maybe even he is capable of having nice big brother moments.

"I just needed a change I guess. It shouldn't be that much of a surprise, all the girls at school dress nice like this." I answered as best I could.

He just looked at me one last time before opening the main door; he actually held it open for me, too. Maybe I should have dressed like this sooner, then maybe he would have been nicer sooner too.

"Just, be careful." He looked at me concerned then headed off to find his friends probably.

What's that supposed to mean? It's not like I'm going to get raped just because I look better than I used to. I headed towards my locker, immediately noticing the heads turning to look at me. I tried to ignore the whispered words and curious looks but things like that aren't hard to notice.

Some guy whistled at me, causing me to blush and walk faster to my awaiting locker. I am a girl who absolutely hates attention. Maybe a new look wasn't the best idea. I made it to my locker, happy to see Taylor also at hers a few down.

"Hey Taylor." I greeted.

"Hey Gab-" She turned to me and her mouth dropped open. Why am I not surprised. "Gabi? Oh my gosh, you look great!"

"Thanks Tay, I feel great." Not so much, but I'm working on it. She started scanning me, her mouth getting wider and wider as she went. I shrugged it off and started packing my bag for the things I needed today. Then, out of the corner of my eye I saw pink approaching and I knew it was Sharpay.

"Hey Tay, who's this?" I turned around after closing my locker and bam. Her mouth dropped open to match Taylor's reaction.

After a few seconds of starring, she finally came back to the real world. "Gabriella? Sheesh you look so different."

"Thanks?" I said as more of a question.

"Good different. Someone needs to slap some ugly on you pronto; I can't have you looking hotter than me!" She said dramatically, but with a smile so I knew she was joking.

I smiled and looked up at the ceiling as the warning bell rung.

"Come on girls, we better get to homeroom." You're probably wondering how three completely different people became such good friends, well I just told you the answer. We've been in the same homeroom since freshmen year. Guess who else is in my homeroom. Yup, you guessed right. Troy Bolton. Oh, this outta be good.

"Okay, so I kind of forgot to tell you guys something that happened over the weekend…" I said shyly, wondering what their reactions would be.

"Spill." Sharpay demanded, always ready to hear gossip.

"You can't tell anyone!" I narrowed my eyes at both of them, loosening them as they both nodded their heads hurriedly.

"Troy Bolton winked at me on Saturday night." I spit out, walking towards homeroom, waiting for them to follow. They came up on both sides of me, mouths hanging wide open once again.

"You're kidding!"

"You're totes bull shitting us!" Guess you can tell which one was Sharpay's response. You gotta love her blunt nature.

"I'm not, he was at my house with Danny, like usual. But they came into my room after I'd embarrassed myself by blasting my music too loud and before he left, he winked at me!" I explained the experience shortly.

"Wow, I can't believe it." Taylor said with a smile.

"Get it girl!" Sharpay said, clapping her hands excitedly.

"Don't get too excited, I'm sure it was nothing. We're about to go into homeroom so play it cool. Act natural, he's in there." I said, using my hands to gesture.

"He's going to fall out of his seat once he sees you!" Sharpay squealed.

I gave her one of my looks before turning into the classroom. I wasn't prepared for the whiplash that followed. Everyone heads turned to stare at me. My eyes landed on one pair of eyes in particular, Troy's. His mouth was wide open, just like all the rest of them. He looked me up and down before his surprised look turned into a smirk. A _knowing_ smirk. I wonder what that's supposed to mean. I turned my head away quickly, smiling at Miss Darbus, my homeroom teacher who also was looking at me like I found the cure to cancer, before quickly making my way over to my desk in the back.

I kept my head down, then looked up bravely, only to be met with the same pair of piercing blue eyes. He was looking, at me! He still had that smirk on his face, oh how I'd like to take it and put it in a box to keep forever. A few seconds after our intense stare down, he looked away, back to the front of the classroom. I starred at the back of his head and sighed. Today was going to be a long day.

**REVIEW! That's all I ask of you :) By the way, does this suck? I don't want to continue it if it does so please let me know!**

**I do not own the song Firework by Katy Perry!**


	3. The Plan

**Alright, here's chapter 3! It's pretty short but only because the exciting part is next chapter, so be patient with me please. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, your words mean a lot to me.**

**Warning: lack of Troyella, but don't worry! Next chapter will have PLENTY of Troyella, so try not to be disappointed.  
**

Chapter 3

The Plan

You know, it's funny how I completely changed myself physically and I still find myself feeling the same emptiness. I was naïve in thinking changing my appearance would solve all my problems. You're probably like 'wooow where did this come from?' Well I am currently lying in my bed on a Thursday night, not being able to go to sleep. Just greaaaat. Like frosted flakes.

Ding ding ding! A light bulb just went off in my head. But I'm not going to reveal it just yet. Tomorrow is a brand new day, as I always say. Yes, you may quote me.

I woke up at 7:00 this morning, throwing on some light skinny jeans, moccasins, and a pink lacy thing I got from my fave store, Forever 21. After adding the finishing touches, I grabbed some grub and ran out the door deciding to ride the bus. It wasn't that bad. Hardly anyone rides the bus anymore so it's really quiet now a days. Call me crazy, but it's actually nice just looking out the window and being able to think. With Danny driving, I can never do that.

As the big yellow school bus came to a halt, I hopped off it excitedly. Once I walked into East High, I was happy to see Taylor and Sharpay already there waiting at my locker for me. Oh were they going to freak when they hear what my plan is.

"Hey girls." I greeted, opening my locker quickly to get my necessities for the day.

"Hey Gabi." They said simultaneously.

"I have to tell to you guys something. It's completely confidential, not to be told to anyone." I lowered my voice, shutting my locker and turning to them.

"Spill already!" Sharpay stepped closer to me, anxious to know what I had up my sleeve. Taylor just nodded her head, encouraging me to go on.

"This weekend, we are doing something fun. Not just fun, but crazy. No! Not just crazy, but insane." I said cryptically.

"Like what?" Taylor crossed her arms in confusion.

"We, my friends, are going to the _Scene_." I smirked, knowing what their reactions would be.

"Are. You. Mental?" Taylor, always the logical one.

"Hell to the freaking yes!" At least Sharpay is up for it.

"Gabi, we cannot go to the _Scene_. It is completely out of our league. We are juniors. Only a few juniors have the guts to show up there. It's mostly seniors, you know that right?" Sheesh Tay, I'm not completely oblivious.

Okay so you're probably wondering what the hell the _Scene_ is, right? Well it's this exciting night club. Sounds ordinary right? Far from it. Get this, it's outside. It's on top of this magnificent hill a little outside of town. Every weekend a DJ sets up there and tons of people come to party it up. It's so restricted; I had to find out about it from my brother. He had me come pick him up from there this one time he got too drunk to even know where his car was. As soon as I pulled up, I was in awe. I know it's probably not the best place to be hanging out and what the people do there is most likely not what parents would approve of but I am seriously craving a night out. I've always been Geeky Gabi who never takes risks. Well this geek is going to have a chance to be a complete rebel for at least one night. So all you haters go ahead and hate because I am determined to have fun. _Extreme_ fun. Damn, I should write a book.

"I know Taylor, but my brother has been there a few times and he's always been okay. I'm not saying we're going to go do drugs, drink, and have sex, I'm just saying it would be a good _experience_." I reasoned. Blehh it felt weird saying the word 'sex' out loud. I haven't even really kissed a guy, pa-the-tic.

"I agree with Gabi. It'll be fun and a great experience. We'll watch out for each other and if anything seems off, we'll bail." Sharpay backed me up. We both knew we couldn't go through with this without our third musketeer.

"Oh alright. But we need to plan this out more, I'm not just going to go and completely be blind sighted." Me and Sharpay squealed and jumped on Taylor. Eventually, even she gave in and joined the jumping up and down group hug. I didn't even stop to think about what the other people in the hallway thought of us, probably that were some lunatics or maybe lesbians. Ehh I hope not the latter. I mean I'm totally not against the gays, I just want to make sure people –cough Troy cough- know I'm straight _and_ available. Gives me more of a chance, if you catch my drift. Pshh, like that'd happen. Anyways, I'm totally going off topic here.

Me, Taylor, and Sharpay conspicuously formed a super legit plan during homeroom. We had to whisper of course, and I kept getting distracted because I kept glancing over at Troy, gosh he's gorgeous. He actually caught me looking at him one time and if I'm not hallucinating, he actually smiled at me! Okay, blah, I have such a bad attention span. So Taylor and Sharpay are going to come over on Friday, tomorrow, and plan on sleeping over. We're going to make ourselves hot, I mean come on. This is the _Scene. _Seniors usually are the ones to mash the place up so we have to look the part. So anyways, we'll get ready, take Sharpay's car and have fun! Ooh this feels like Mission Impossible. _Montez_, Gabriella Montez. That totally works, I could be a ninja. Ooh ooh, since it's me, Tay, and Shar, we could be like Charlie's Angels! Hah, they got nothin' on us. I wonder who's going to be there…hopefully no one that will recognize me. But hey, the things that you take risks for are the things that end up the most worthwhile right?

**Cliffhanger! Sorry guys, this was really short but I wanted to get it in there because if I put Friday night in here, it would be too long. Plus I think its better this way; the **_**Scene**_** can have its own chapter haha and next chapter there will be major Troyella, so keep reading. I'll try and update soon but REVIEWS would help :) Please tell me if it sucked.**


	4. The Scene

**Hey guys, here's the chapter you've been waiting for! I'm going to try my very best to make this worthwhile and exciting. Thanks again to everyone who reviewed and keep it up! Love you all. **

Chapter 4

The Scene

What the heck is someone supposed to wear to look _sexy_? I am having major problems right now. Okay so me, Taylor, and Sharpay are currently in my room getting ready for the possibly best night of my life and I have nothing to wear. Just my luck.

"Guys, I'm freaking out here. What do I wear?" I spazzed, huffing and plopping down on my bed.

"Gabs, chill out. Who am I?" Sharpay posed with her hands placed on either side of her and her leg propped out fabulously. She is the only girl I know that can pull that look off.

"Sharpay Evans?" My eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Am I missing something?

"Yes, so you must know that when it comes to wardrobe, Sharpay Evans always has a plan." She said in third person before pressing a speed dial on her cell phone and placing it to her ear.

Taylor popped her head out of my bathroom, giving me the 'what's going on' look. I just shrugged my shoulders, looking to Sharpay again.

"Ryan, I need you to do me a favor." I heard mumbling on the other end and then she spoke again, "I need you to get my emergency box from my closet...we talked about this…no, it's the big box with my name bedazzled on it…okay bring it to Gabriella's house pronto...please and thank you…yah yah I owe you." At that, she hung up. A few minutes later, my doorbell rung. Sharpay informed us to wait while she went downstairs to get it.

"Darn Shar, what the heck is in this thing? It weighs a ton!" Ryan's muffled voice was heard outside my room before he came trudging in with a large wooden box.

"None of your business, now you may go. We won't need your assistance any longer. Thank you dear brother of mine." Sharpay spoke in a sophisticated manner, going to kneel down next to the mysterious box.

Me and Taylor both mumbled a thank you and shot Ryan a smile before going to stand by Sharpay who was starring dreamy eyed at her beloved box.

"So…what's in it?" I said, glancing at the clock to make sure we still had a significant amount of time.

"Be patient Gabriella." Sharpay practically whispered, pulling out a key from her purse and placing it in the big silver lock keeping the box shut. She lifted the lid, and what I saw put me and Taylor in a state of awe and shock.

It was like slow motion; the beauty of the garments lying neatly inside the box was dumbfounding and caused me to lean closer, wanting to be as near as possible. As if it couldn't get any better, Sharpay pulled out two hidden compartments on both sides of the box, revealing an assortment of accessories. All I could think was; _only_ Sharpay would.

"Ladies, choose wisely. We only have two hours." She stood up with a smirk. Me and Taylor took her place kneeling on the floor, carefully sifting through the assortment. Your probably wondering why we're making such a big deal of this. You see, the_ Scene _isn't just any hang out place, it's _the_ place. The girls looked sexy but sophisticated, like they were meant to be there. And the guys, well the guys just looked totally, utterly, and completely bangable. Not exactly dressed up, but not dressed down either. Mostly crisp shirts with jeans, but everyone knew that if you showed up at the _Scene_, senior or not, you had to look presentable. Even if you did end up messed up afterwards. Messed up meaning drunk out of your mind. But just FYI, I am and always have been a good girl. That's not going to change all because of the expectations of the _Scene_. Yah, we're going to have fun, but I refuse to go too far.

We tried on everything; skinny jeans, flare jeans, shimmery tops, boots, high heels, dresses, hats, the whole shebang. Eventually, Taylor put together this amazing outfit consisting of this tight black waist skirt over a loose, dark purple, silk sleeveless top. She paired it with killer black stilettos. Her makeup was light, with some purple-ish eye shadow and shiny gloss. I tried on outfit after outfit 'til I finally came across a form fitting silver dress that was a little shorter than mid thigh, which I was kind of hesitant about. I put on silver strappy heels and a black leather jacket to make it look edgy and a little more casual. Then I put on some smokey eye shadow and clear gloss to add even more of an edge. Sharpay looked amazing in a hot pink long sleeved v-neck dress. She had on black heeled boots that almost went to her knees. Her eye makeup consisted of a pink mixture and of course, pink lip gloss. Then, we all put on eyeliner and mascara as a finishing touch.

I was proud to say, we looked hot. My hair was in waves, Sharpay's in curls, and Taylor's straight. We were like the new and improved Three Musketeers. And I can bet money that Charlie would totally ditch his angels to replace them with us. Thank god my parents went to a dinner party, or else we wouldn't have been able to get out of the house. We took Sharpay's hot pink convertible and headed towards the notorious hill. I was playing with my fingers, so anxious about what would happen. I knew we were in for an unforgettable night.

We pulled into an empty space, already hearing the music blaring. We linked arms, strutting up the walkway confidently. If we were going to pull this off, we were going to have to do it right. I glanced around me, noting all the glamorous looking people. Suddenly I felt inferior amongst all of them, but when Sharpay squeezed my arm assuringly, I took a deep breath and decided not to dwell on it any further. This is my night and nothing is going to mess it up.

There were so many people, my mouth dropped. I kind of figured it'd be crowded, but not this crowded. The sight before me gave me goose bumps; the hill was magnificent and utterly bewildering. The grass was a crispy green, not one patch of brown in sight. There was a DJ on the far left who stood high up on a pedestal. There was a wooden mat placed down in the center of the hill, where the land was flat; the dance floor. There was a large table on one side, with a few giant kegs placed on it. My first thought was how they got away with drinking under age, surely the police wasn't completely oblivious about this place. Or were they?

We walked down the pathway, still linking arms. We passed by various people; some older, some younger. But thankfully, no one that looked under sixteen or over twenty-three. Fortunately, me and the girls had a long talk about our limitations. We knew when and where to be careful and what not to do. We had each other, and hopefully that's all we needed to get through the night.

"What do we do now?" Taylor whispered to me. I gave her the 'I have no freaking idea' look then asked Sharpay who pretty much mirrored my facial expression. To summarize it, we had no idea what to do. We were completely oblivious to the world of partying and fun. Or at least this kind of fun.

Maybe this wasn't the best idea.

Apparently Sharpay saw my hesitance as she stopped abruptly and turned around to face us, causing us to stumble.

"Girls, we came here to have fun. So fun we are going to have." She said assertively. She squished in between us, re-linking our arms and pulling us towards the dance floor. We went into the center of the dance floor and watched as Sharpay started swinging around wildly.

Me and Taylor looked at each other simultaneously, smiling. We started to loosen up as an upbeat song came on. This was definitely fun. After a few minutes I could feel my throat getting dry from the lack of oxygen in the confined space. I motioned to Sharpay and Taylor that I needed a drink, they waved me off. I guess that's my que to go. I was kind of scared to go alone, but I had to face my fears sometime. I mean seriously, who would wanna rape me with so many people around? Plus, I'm not stupid enough to go anywhere with a stranger. I headed towards one of the coolers, reaching in and realizing there was nothing but beer. I took a light beer from the cooler, knowing that a few sips wasn't going to get me buzzed. I was parched and desperate. I turned around, opening the can and taking a deep breath. I lifted the can to my lips, but didn't even get to try it before I got it taken out of my hands. I looked up and yet again, my mouth dropped. In front of me was none other than Troy Bolton.

"Gabriella?" He looked me up and down, his eyes getting wider and wider. He seemed speechless, did I do that?

"Uh…I…" That's all I could get out. He looked gorgeous, like always. He was wearing a open buttoned blue long sleeved shirt that brought out his ocean blue eyes over a white undershirt. Also, his signature jeans with converse and his hair looked wild, swept to the side making it look even more appealing; I wanted to reach up and run my hands through his soft strands. Oh god, I sound like such a creeper.

He shook his head slightly, snapping himself out of his reverie, "what are you doing?" He asked.

I told myself to remember I was a different person tonight, a more confident person, then spoke, "what does it look like I'm doing?"

"Drinking. Which you should not be doing." He tilted his head towards the can he still had in his possession.

"There was nothing else, I wasn't planning on drinking, really." I said. He must think I look like some stupid, naïve little kid. Wait a second, he's only a year older, what right does he have?

"What are you doing at a place like this? Alone?" He actually seemed…worried.

"Having fun. What are _you _doing here?" I challenged, crossing my arms.

"Err…well…having fun." He placed the can next to the cooler, then put his hands in his pockets.

"Alright then, now that that's established." I reached down to pick up the can, but he grabbed my wrist before I could.

"I know where you can get something besides alcohol. Come with me." He said with a demanding tone, it was kind of…sexy. Wow, that word is in my thoughts way too often.

He grabbed my hand, causing a ripple of electricity to shoot through me, adding to the butterflies I already had in my stomach from just being in his presence. He led me through the crowd to an area with a few more coolers on the freshly cut grass. He let go of my hand, to my dismay, then reached down to grab a water bottle from one of the coolers.

"Here." He said, handing me the cool bottle with water droplets condensing on it. I chugged half of it down quickly, relishing in the feeling of it running drown my dry throat. I put the cap back on it then daringly raised my head to look at Troy. To my confusion, he was looking at me with an inquisitive look. As if he was trying to read my thoughts. Oh god, he looks so hot just standing there with his hands in his pockets. Oh crap, shut it Gabi, he's going to hear you! Oh wait…he can't read minds. Even though he looks like he's trying to read mine. His straight face slowly turned into a smirk, making me insecure. Holy nachos, maybe he can read minds. Of course not. Maybe my face just gave away that I was checking him out. I quickly put on a straight face and stood up straighter.

"Why…why are you looking at me like that?" I asked shyly, inwardly scolding myself for letting my shy demeanor show.

"You just look…different." He said cryptically.

"Good or bad?"

"Just…different." Like that was supposed to help. Now I'm even more confused. Crap nuggets, what if he thinks I look ridiculous. Ugh, he must think I tried too hard.

"Oh." I said, looking down at my shoes.

"No, oh god no. I didn't mean it like that. You look great." He said quickly. I lifted my head back up, tilting my head at him inquisitively.

"Thanks?" He just nodded. "Well my friends are probably wondering where I am, so could you point me in the direction of the dance floor?" I looked around, with all the people it was hard to figure out where the hell I was.

"Gabriella!" Aw shit. I closed my eyes, knowing that voice and not looking forward to what I was about to hear.

"What the fuck are you doing here? Are you insane?" Danny yelled. "And what the hell are you wearing?" His eyes widened dramatically. Just great. My night just got ruined.

"Calm down Danny. I know what I'm doing. I'm not a child." I said sternly.

"The hell you're not a child!" He yelled.

"I'm one year younger than you! One year!" Now I was getting mad.

"That doesn't ma-"

"Woah woah woah. No need for an argument." Thankfully, Troy cut him off.

"Go home Gabriella." Like hell!

"Who do you think you are? My father?" I snapped. Hah, kinda ironic seeing as we have the same father.

"No, but I can make sure our father finds out about this." He challenged. But remember ladies and gentleman; I can do better.

"How are you going to do that? The only way is by telling him you were here too. You'll be in just as deep shit as me." I retaliated.

He scowled, looking to Troy for backup. Wisely, he just put his hands up in defense, not wanting to get involved in the Montez vs. Montez bitch-fight. Danny being the bitch of course.

"Fine. But you leave when we do. No drinking. No drugs. And no boys. Capiche?" Since when is Dumbass Danny so ordering?

"I wasn't planning on any of that anyways. And don't order me around dim-wit!"

Danny just glared at me. Then just as I was about to leave, a boy with a large afro came over and greeted Danny and Troy with the man handshake of course.

"Hey guys, who's the hottie?" As if I couldn't hear him. But hey, at least I know I don't look completely ridiculous.

Danny growled at him while Troy _maturely _told him who I was.

"No way, Gabi?" He questioned.

"Hey Chad." Chad Danforth, the boy who's almost as dumb as my brother. Me and him became fast friends. He was always such a joker and so laidback, it was easy to be friends with him, even knowing he was friends with my brother. Troy however, was a different story. It wasn't as easy with him. Troy always stirred these…indescribable feelings within me; I could never just play around with him as if he was a best friend. I never had the guts.

As realization dawned upon Chad's face, he came forward to give me a big bear hug. Oh you gotta love Chad's hugs.

"Is Taylor here?" Oh yah, did I forget to mention he's incredibly in love with Taylor? Yup, well I always tease him about her but he always denies it even though it's so obvious; a pig could see their sexual tension. The stupid part is, she totally likes him too, but they are both way too oblivious to tell the other.

"Yup, she's on the dance floor with Sharpay. Perfect chance to make a move bud." I smirked.

He didn't even bother denying it before he sprinted behind me, probably towards the dance floor.

"Okay, well as much as I'd love to hang out with you during my time here. I think I'll bail." Danny said sarcastically, turning to leave. "You coming Troy?"

"Actually, I'll catch up with you later man." I can't breathe. Oh my gosh, someone call the doctor, I have a serious case of I-am-so-damn-in-love-with-Troy-freakin-Bolton. Did he just ditch Danny for me! Take that!

Danny shot us a look, before shrugging his shoulders and walking off.

"Care to dance?" He asked, holding out his hand for me to take. Psh I wasn't about to pass that up. This was a bad time to be numb. I took a breath, then placed my hand in his, the feelings arising all over again.

He led me toward the dance floor and you will not believe what happened. As soon as we got there, a slow song came on; _Come On_ by Ben Jelen. I looked at him, looking for his reaction. He looked at me and I almost got the wind knocked out of me then and there. His eyes, god I'd never seen them look so beautiful. It's like they were looking through my entire being, through my soul.

He put his arms around me tentatively, pulling me closer. I reached my hands up around his neck, not daring to break our intense gaze. Who would have thought slow songs played at places like the _Scene_. Maybe I'd overestimated it.

I gulped and reminded myself to keep this moment forever, remember every detail then lock it away in my memory. As fast as the moment started, it ended. He loosened his grip on me and we continued starring at each other. The silence was killing me. Ironically, it was unbearably loud but I didn't even notice.

"I never would have thought they played slow songs at a place like this." I broke the silence daringly.

"Only once." He said huskily. I didn't know what to say. What was I supposed to say? One second he was just my brother's best friend that I was secretly crushing on, now he was holding me, looking at me as if I was the most precious thing in the world.

Then it was ruined. At that precise moment, Sharpay decided to come out of nowhere.

"Gabi, where have you been?" Sharpay scolded. Oh crap, I was supposed to stay with them. They must have been worried when I didn't come back. Stupid, stupid Gabriella. But I did have a good reason. I mean, come on, if Troy Bolton asked you to dance would you say no? That's what I thought. But don't get any ideas. I called dibs. If only he felt the same way.

"Oh…um sorry. Crap, I forgot. I'm really sorry, where's Tay?" I replied.

"She went off with Chad, of course. They're probably making out in some corner. They are so in love with each other it sickens me." I smiled, it was about time. Then as if on que, Sharpay's head slowly turned to look at Troy, who was standing aside uncomfortably.

"Sharpay." Troy greeted with a nod. He looked at me, holy hot sauce, did I see disappointment in his eyes? He looked almost…sad, that we got interrupted. Nah, why would he be? I'm just his best friend's little sister who says things like holy hot sauce.

"Hi." She said, turning to look at me again with a knowing look.

"Well, I'll just leave you two alone then." Sharpay said quickly, pushing through the crowd of people. I almost called out to her, maybe it wasn't best for her to go off alone. She was alone, and we promised to stay together. I looked at Troy, not wanting to do what I was about to do. Sigh, hoes over bros.

"I'm sorry Troy, I should go get her. I don't want her being alone at a place like this." I sighed. At first he looked disappointed, then he straightened up.

"It's cool. I'll see you later then." He said cooly. Gosh dammit Shar, you so owe me. I smiled at him sadly then went in the direction that Sharpay left. I found her by the drinks table, talking to some boy. Wait what, is that Danny?

"Shar?" I asked, coming to stand beside her.

"Gabs, what are you doing here? You should be with Troy, that's the whole reason I left!" She said in my ear so Danny couldn't hear. He'd kill me if he knew I had feelings for his best friend. Maybe he won't be so mad…if we get married Danny and Troy would be brother-in-laws, practically brothers. Oh my gosh, getting married to Troy, fantasy of mine since I learnt what weddings were. Troy at the end of the aisle, looking amazing in- Okay, I seriously need to shut my thoughts up. I'm getting way ahead of myself here.

"I know, but I didn't want you being alone." I whispered back. I pulled back, looking between them. Wait a flying pig, they are awfully close…Oh hell no.

"Why are you guys even talking anyways?" I said bluntly and aloud for both to hear.

"I'm allowed to talk to her if I want." Ugh he's so ugh and just ugh!

"Gabi, go back or you'll regret it." I looked at Sharpay who was giving me the 'do it or else' look. Damn her and her friggin' looks. I stuck my tongue out at Danny before going back the way I came.

I weaved in and out around numerous people, trying to catch sight of those beautiful baby blues. I was stopped by some guy; he asked me to dance, but the way he was looking at me creeped me out so I quickly rejected his invitation and continued my search. I pushed past a couple then came face to face with what I didn't expect. Troy was talking animatedly to this girl. Not just any girl, a gorgeous girl. She had long brown hair, and was wearing a tight black dress that I could never pull off. Her legs seemed like they went on forever and she was so skinny. Her back was to me, so I couldn't even see her face. I didn't need to, I knew she was beautiful. She had to be. Shit! How could I compare? Then she did something that made me want to claw her eyes out. Her hand went to rest on his chest as she laughed at something he'd said. I didn't even realize I was starring until his eyes looked past her and at me. I quickly looked away, turning to run back into the treacherous crowd and away from just everything. I had to get away. And I had to get away now.

I pushed past person after person, not even being able to see clearly. The gesture wasn't even that big of a deal and I could feel tears welling in my eyes and blurring my vision. I finally got freed from the crowd of people and went to find a secluded area of the hill. It was an elevated spot, away from the party. You could see the sky beautifully. I sat down on the grass, as best I could with the dress on. I wiped away frantically at the few tears that escaped my eyes.

What was I thinking? That I'd go back and he'd be waiting for me and profess his love for me and we'd live happily ever after? Pfft sure like that'd ever happen. Why would it anyways, when he has girls like that leggy brunette all over him. I was stupid for thinking I even had a slight chance. I starred at the sky; the moon was shining brightly as if knowing I'd need its comfort. I closed my eyes, breathing in the fresh night air.

Then I was snapped out of my depressing reverie with a hand on my shoulder. A glimpse of hope told me it was Troy, he came to find me. As I turned around, I was face to face with a guy. But it wasn't Troy, it was the guy that asked me to dance earlier.

"Hey beautiful, why are you wasting your pretty face lookin' all sad?"

"Um its nothing, I'd like to be alone if you don't mind though." I tried not to make eye contact with him, there was an eerie feeling in the air and I was 99.9 % sure it was because of him.

"Oh come on, don't be like that. I could brighten your mood, in many ways." He came closer to me, causing me to back up.

"I'm not interested. Can you please leave?" I tried again, starting to panic with the devious smirk he was giving me.

"And leave you alone? What kind of gentleman would I be if I did that?" He replied, placing his hand on my leg. I pulled it away quickly.

"You'd be a gentleman if you left me alone."

"Stop being a bitch and ju-"

"Gabs? What's going on?" I've never loved my brother more.

"Thank god, Danny." I stood up, going to stand beside him.

"He wouldn't leave me alone." I whispered, clinging to my brother's arm.

"I believe she told you to leave, I advise you to do so." Danny said strongly, pushing me protectively behind half of his body.

"Whatever she's a prude anyways." The guy mumbled. Danny went to lunge at him but I grabbed his arm, stopping him.

"Don't. He's not worth it." I pleaded. I sighed as Danny relaxed and we watched as the guy walked back down the hill and away from sight.

"Thank you." I said, relaxing and sitting back down in my previous spot.

"What if I hadn't have come Gabriella? Guys like him are the reason I didn't want you here in the first place." He sighed and plopped down on the grass next to me.

"I know but can we just drop it." I mumbled. The best night of my life was soon turning into the worst. He nodded, leaning back on his arms.

"What are you doing here?" I broke the silence.

"You may irritate me, but when I see you running off in an unknown direction with tears in your eyes, I tend to get worried." He said. Wow, the alien does have a heart.

"It's nothing." I mumbled, going to hug my knees to my chest instinctively, but stopped myself when I realized that probably wasn't the best idea, considering what I'm wearing.

"Don't lie to me Gabi. What happened, did someone hurt you?" He asked, turning towards me.

"Not physically." I sighed, another tear slipping down my face.

"It's Troy isn't it?" He sighed, looking up at the sky.

"Wh…how…how'd you know?" What the frick, I didn't even know he knew about my crush on him. What surprised me the most though, was that he didn't even seem mad.

"Please, I see the way you look at each other. Ever since sophomore year." He was close; I've liked Troy way before sophomore year and the looks are one sided, seeing as though he doesn't feel the same as I do. He's probably making out with that brunette beauty right now whilst I'm wallowing away on the top of a hill pouring my guts out to my brother. Man, life sucks sometimes.

"Each other? That's funny. Because from what I saw, the only person he's looking at is some tall brunette girl. He would never like me. I feel so stupid." Maybe Danny isn't that bad of a brother, he's kind of easy to talk to.

"You are stupid." I take that back. "You're wrong about one thing though, the looks are mutual but Troy isn't one for commitment; I've seen him run away from it numerous times during our friendship. And we've been friends for a long time. Don't get your hopes up Gabs, I don't want you to get hurt." He said, putting his arm gently around my shoulders. I leaned my head on him, taking in his words. Maybe he was right.

"Thank you." I said softly, not having the will to talk about this further. After a few minutes, to change the subject and kill the silence, I tried to lighten the mood.

"So, what's going on with you and _my_ best friend?" Just because I couldn't have Troy, doesn't mean it couldn't work out for him and Sharpay. Even though it would be extremely weird. Bleh if they ever kiss in front of me, it will surely trigger my gag reflex.

"Oh no, we are not getting into this." He said with a chuckle, standing up then holding out his hand for me to take. I stood up, forcing a smile. He threw his arm around my shoulders casually, ruffling my hair playfully.

"Hey bro, it took me a while to do my hair!" I scolded, moving my head to evade his hand. He just chuckled as we walked back towards the party.

"We can leave if you want?" He asked, as we saw Sharpay, Taylor, and Chad up ahead.

"No, I don't want to ruin your night. Plus I don't want to leave in a crappy mood. I can still make this night fun." I said positively. But to be honest, it was complete crap.

"Good for you." He replied as we met up with our friends.

"Where have you been, what happened?" Of course, Sharpay immediately spazzes.

"Don't worry about it. I'll tell you guys later. For now, let's just have fun." I grabbed Tay and Shar and headed towards the dance floor. I completely let go, forgetting about Troy and the pain in my heart for just that short time, because I knew that as soon as the fun was over, I'd feel it again; the big hole in my heart that only Troy Bolton could fill.

What I didn't know however was that I was being watched from afar by the same blue eyes that took my breath away, the same blue eyes that held the same pain as mine.

**What do you guys think? Good, bad, okay? Please tell me what you think because I worked soooo extremely hard on this particular chapter because it sets the scene for future chapters. I made it really long, because the last chapter was so short and you guys deserve it. Review and tell me your opinion, it's much appreciated!**

**I do not own the song **_**Come On**_** by Ben Jelen.**


	5. Two Weeks

**Hey guys, sorry it's been kind of a while since I've updated. School has completely swamped me. This is the second to last chapter, so enjoy and please review!**

**Btdubs, thanks to everyone who reviewed, alerted, and favorited this story. I greatly appreciate it and your response to this has completely overjoyed me.**

Chapter 5

Two Weeks

It was two weeks ago, that I completely let loose. Two weeks ago, when I strutted into the _Scene_ with my two best friends. Two weeks ago, when I realized my big brother really does have a heart.

Two weeks ago, I realized I was in love with Troy Bolton.

Came out of nowhere right? Trust me, I was surprised myself. I mean come on. _Love_. It's one of those complicated words that no one can really define, but wish they could. The only way you can really understand it, is if you've experienced it. I might have said numerous times that I was so in love with Troy, but before I wasn't being completely serious. I've said it so many times, but it never really occurred to me that I could be seriously head over heels for him. I'm not talking about the love you have for your family, a pet, or your friends. I'm talkin' real love. Like out of this world, butterflies in your stomach, can't breathe kind of love. It took me years to fall in love, or maybe I was always, I just didn't realize it until now.

You see, I've known Troy a long time. Ever since I hit puberty I've swooned at the sight of him, shaky knees and all. Before, I had a hard time forming the right words when I was in his mere presence but eventually I mastered my stuttering. Get this, he is my brother's best friend. You're probably thinking, yah yah tell me something I don't know. But let me say it again, he is my brother's best friend. As in, he was and is always at my house. Whether it be for dinner, or just hanging out playing video games, their latest obsession being COD. I don't know what's so great about COD anyways; every guy I know seems to be totally infatuated with it. Ridiculous. But anyways, I'm getting off topic. So as I was saying, I had to see him 24/7 and every single time, I'd want to jump his bones. You can't blame me though, if a guy like Troy was in your house all the time you'd want to ravish him as well. Don't deny it.

As soon as I got back from the _Scene_, my mind was far away. We got back to my house and I was just so…out of it. I wasn't drunk or anything, just…heartbroken. After all these years, I just now realized that Troy was a lost cause. He would never like little old me. Let alone love me. I began to wonder if things would have been different if I'd realized that earlier. After Tay and Shar fell asleep, I slipped out of my room and went downstairs, sitting on the couch idly. Then, I did the one thing that I've been wanting to do since I saw Troy with that perfect brunette bimbo. I cried.

More like balled my eyes out, long and hard. After a few minutes, sitting in my silent living room, I looked up at the coffee table in front of me. Then it hit me, I was in love with Troy Bolton. And it killed me, because I knew he would never love me back. So I cried some more, wiped my eyes, then went back into my room. I laid down quietly, closing my eyes, silently wishing that things were different. But at the same time, knowing that things wouldn't change. He always saw me as his best friend's little sister, why would he suddenly start reciprocating my feelings now?

Currently, I'm sitting in my room wallowing away in self pity. It's exactly what I've been doing for the past two weeks. Apart from the few visits from Taylor and Sharpay, I think they've sensed my change of mood. They have after all, tried dragging me out of my house. Literally. But I'm small and flexible, they got nothing on me. A few quick maneuvers and I was back in my room. This time, I locked my door. I've talked to them on the phone, convincing them that I just needed to be alone for a few days and not to worry. Taylor eased off, but Sharpay didn't buy it. It took various hugs at school and fake smiles to get her to back off too. I just wasn't ready to talk about it. Or face _him_. I would seriously kick ass as a ninja because I have successfully avoided Troy for all of the two weeks, slipping through corridors, ducking into janitors closets, and staying huddled up in my room, only coming out to grab my dinner and eat in my room.

Tonight, I had nothing to worry about though. It's Saturday night and like before, I'm sitting in my room all alone. And I thought those days were long over. Oh how I was wrong. I couldn't help but think back to that Saturday two weeks ago, funny how things can change so fast. Danny supposedly went out with the guys, including Troy, sigh. The rents went out to some dinner party that my dad's friend is hosting. Eh, even they have a social life. That's just sad.

I jumped, what the- I just heard glass shatter downstairs. Oh hell, I am going crazy. Mother fu- I just heard something else! Holy nachos. I'm not going crazy. There's someone in the house. Fuck nugget what do I do? Call the police? Call my parents? Calm down Gabriella, breathe. It could just be Danny; he could have just forgotten something here. I can't just call the police, they have more important stuff to worry about. People with actual crisis'. However…this could potentially be a crisis. I should just check. Yah, that's a good idea. I got up from my bed, slowly moving towards the door. I stopped, making a detour at my closet to grab a golf club that I used to use to scare Danny with. It never really worked actually, he always just grabbed it out of my hand and threw it somewhere, laughing at my futile attempt to look threatening.

I opened my bedroom door, immediately feeling the air conditioning hit me. I glanced down at my attire, thinking it wouldn't be appropriate to go ape shit on a burglar in short pajama girl boxers and a tank top. I ran over to my bed, grabbing the East High sweatshirt on the end of it. I put it on quickly; at least now my top was covered. I heard another noise, deciding I didn't have time to find pants. I looked like a complete mess, hair in wild waves around my shoulders and a golf club in my hand. Good thing Danny taught me how to play baseball. One swing and the cold blooded killer raiding my house would be knocked out…or so I was hoping.

I creeped down the stairs, gradually starting to hear voices. More than one. As I got further down, they got louder. Oh shit, I was outnumbered. I got all the way downstairs, standing outside the entrance to the living room. I was pressed against the wall, preparing to stealthily peek and see who the intruders were. The TV was on, so there wasn't much talking. I couldn't be sure if it was my brother or not. I was about to take a look when someone tapped me on the shoulder. That was a very bad idea.

You will not believe what happened next. Yup you guessed it. I instinctively jumped around, swinging my golf club at the culprit. As I did that, I not only spun around, I jumped right in front of the opening to the living room. Boy was I probably putting on a show.

"Shit Gabi what the hell was that for!" Oops, I know that voice.

"Danny! Oh my-I'm sor-I didn't mean to-I'm so sorry!" I stuttered, not believing what I just did. Danny stood in front of me, hunched over holding his stomach where I'd hit him. I completely forgot about the others in the living room behind me. Until I heard a whistle. I slowly turned around, my eyes widening at the sight before me. The so called intruders were actually the entire basketball team. God help me.

"Lookin' good Mini Montez." One of them said, it didn't even register to me who it was, I couldn't even breathe. My life is over; the whole entire basketball team is in my house looking at me like a deer caught in headlights. Just FYI, Danny and Troy are on the basketball team if you didn't pick up on that. Troy's the captain. Oh shitake mushrooms. Troy. My eyes scanned the whole room, finally locking with the pair of blue eyes I'd been avoiding for two weeks. He was sitting on the arm of the couch, cup in hand, starring straight at me. No wonder, he probably thought I was a freak.

"Hey, that's my sister you're talking about." Danny pushed past me, taking the golf club out of my hand and throwing it in the corner, what's new.

I snapped back to reality, realizing I was being starred at by numerous testosterone filled males.

"Hey Gabriella."

"Sup Gabriella."

"Hey Gabi."

"Yo."

"Hey hottie."

"What's crack-a-lackin."

"Can I have yo numba?" Really bad impression of the popular YouTube video.

Those were just some of the greetings I got, none of them being from Troy, might I add. I was frozen, only managing to get out a measly "hi."

I looked over at Danny, who was glaring at them. Even though he was a butthead at times, he was always protective of me. I guess it's in the older brother handbook.

I did the only thing I could think to do; I walked over to the corner and picked up the golf club, well aware of the many eyes following my every move. Sheesh, I look like crap, you'd think they'd care less. I tried to say something, but nothing came out so I just pointed at Danny, nodded towards the kitchen, smiled slightly, then speed walked the heck out of there. That was the most humiliating, traumatizing, excruciating experience I'd ever had to go through. And all in front of Troy too. Great, just wonderful.

"Daniel, what the hell is going on? What are they all doing here?" I yelled, going behind the counter and getting a glass. I used his full name just to make my point…and to piss him off.

"We decided to just chill at someone's house so I offered up ours. No big deal. And don't call me Daniel, you sound like mom." He grabbed a bag of chips from the pantry, opening them and stuffing a few in his mouth. Pig.

"No big deal? No big deal? I just humiliated myself! A little warning would have been nice!" I blew up, chugging down some cold water to calm me down.

"Relax it wasn't planned. Oh yah, can you put some longer pants on. I don't like the way the guys were looking at your legs. Ew." You'd think he would have matured by now.

"I thought some psycho was in the house!" I exclaimed.

"Hence the golf club."

"Do mom and dad know they're all here?" I took a few breaths, trying to calm down.

"Yeah, they trust me." He smiled cheekily, what a conceited little douche.

"Hah, big mistake." I scoffed.

"What's it matter to you anyways?" He asked. As if I was gonna tell him that I've been avoiding his best friend because I'm madly in love with him and will probably burst into tears again if I'm near him for too long.

"It doesn't." And to think my mother taught me never to lie.

"Then suck it up." What a-

"Hey man, that's no way to talk to a lady." Oh crap.

I closed my eyes, praying that he'd just turn around and go back into the living room. I can't face him right now. I can't have him see me break down.

"Shut up Troy." Danny muttered. I opened my eyes, keeping my eyes on Danny; refusing to look at Troy.

"Hi Gabriella." Oh how I loved it when he said my name.

"Hi Troy." I said it fast, nodding at him but keeping my eyes on Danny.

To my dismay, Danny grabbed a soda from the fridge, his already half empty chip bag and brushed past Troy to the living room. Which left me and Troy, alone. Note to self: slap Danny the first chance I get.

I turned around, opening the fridge. I started moving my head around, pretending to be skimming through my choices. In reality, I was stalling. Pfft if it wasn't obvious. I expected him to leave following Danny, but I soon learnt not to expect things from unpredictable people.

"So um…how are you?" He said softly. I glanced at him as he was putting his hands in his pockets, his eyes still locked on me. I scolded myself, turning back to the fridge. I grabbed the ice cream from the freezer, then a spoon from the drawer.

"Fine thanks." I said softly and calmly. I opened the lid of the ice cream, there wasn't that much left, plus I needed some serious therapy, so I dug my spoon in straight from the carton.

"Sharing is caring." He said, walking towards me with a smile. I couldn't help it okay, I looked. And immediately my eyes started watering. I took a breath then blinked the tears back before he grabbed a spoon from the same drawer. I pushed the carton towards him, following the spoon as it rose up and entered his mouth. Past those soft, totally kissable lips. Stop it Gabriella! You can't lose control, stay calm and you'll get through this. The gesture was so casual, as if we were two friends simply eating ice cream. Nothing is simple.

"Are you alright? You seem kind of off?" He said nonchalantly, obviously trying to break the tension.

"Yah, I'm fine. Just a little out of it lately." I replied quietly.

"I haven't seen you since that day at the _Scene_." You just had to bring that up didn't you?

"Uh yah, I've been…busy." Psh yah right.

"Oh." It's funny how one little syllable, one little vowel, one little word can initiate a total disaster.

Once he uttered that out of his perfect mouth, my head shot up, my eyes connecting with the mesmerizing ocean blue of his. I was so caught up in our little starring contest, I didn't notice the stray tear that slid down my cheek. Troy scrunched his eyebrows in confusion, lifting his arm up slowly to cup my cheek and wipe it away with his thumb. I could have sworn this moment was in slow motion.

"What's wrong?" He almost whispered. I didn't even realize how close we were, the only thing keeping us apart was a stool. This seems to be happening to me a lot lately, not realizing things that is.

He dropped his hand from my face; I didn't know what to say. I couldn't tell him the truth. I was too scared of the rejection I knew would come afterwards. So instead, I closed my eyes painfully, shook my head, and ran. I don't even know why I did it. I just did. I ran around the table and up the stairs, straight to my bedroom. I shut the door behind me then shoved open my balcony doors, leaning my arms on the railing and closing my eyes. That was a close one. I hugged myself, attempting to shield my body from the chill of the night.

"Gabriella." I shot around, my breath catching in my throat at the sight before me. What the hell was this? A movie? I did not expect Troy to come after me. Oh great, now I'm going to blabber out my feelings for him, he's going to reject me politely, then go laugh about it.

"Troy, what are you doing?" I said assertively, no more shy little Gabriella.

"Why did you run away?" He came closer, causing me to step back. I felt the railing against my back, so I placed my hands on it to keep myself steady.

"I…I forgot I left my straightener on." It's the first thing that popped into my head. Sue me.

"Your hair is curly." Aw crap, you just had to be smart.

"Um, I was going to straighten it later." Maybe I should just shut up now.

"No you weren't." Am I that damn obvious?

"Yes I was." I said, holding my ground.

"Don't lie to me Gabriella, what's really wrong?" Now he was beginning to piss me off. What right does he have to make me fall in love with him, then be all over some other perfect little slut, then tell me I'm lying! Now that I think about it…that just sounded really stupid.

"You can't tell me I'm lying! There's nothing wrong Troy. What are you even doing here? Go back to my brother and your friends." I replied, turning around so my back was now to him.

"I've known you for a long time, I can tell when something's wrong. Please, just talk to me." Ugh why can't you just leave me alone! If only he knew he was just making it worse.

"I don't want to." I muttered stubbornly.

"Look, about that girl at the _Scene_, she was just an old friend and I-"

"Save it Troy. I don't care." I lied, why was he suddenly bringing this up anyways? What makes him think my bitter mood has anything to do with him? Oh right…it has everything to do with him. But he doesn't have to know that. Hmpf.

"I don't believe that." His voice seemed closer.

"Then you believe a lie." I couldn't let him win; I would just end up even more shattered than I already am.

"There's something I need to tell you." He said softly. At that I spun around, getting ready to give him a piece of my mind. I was trying so hard not to get hurt anymore and he just had to come up here and make things worse.

"How dare yo-" I didn't get to finish my sentence, because the second I turned around, his lips were on mine. No, I'm not joking this time. I'm being dead serious. They were just as soft as I imagined as he moved them slowly against mine. I reached my hands up and around his neck for support, I could feel my knees threatening to give out beneath me. Right then and there, on my balcony, was the best moment of my life. The moment I'd waited for.

We pulled apart slowly, my eyes still closed out of fear. Fear that if I opened them this would all be a dream. Deciding to take a chance, I opened them, looking straight into Troy's. I've seen his eyes many times before, but not like this. They held so much emotion, it was indescribable.

"What was that for?" I whispered, still overwhelmed by what just occurred.

"Because I think…I think I'm in love with you." I can't feel any part of my body, is that normal?

"I know it's out of nowhere, but I've had feelings for you for a long time. You've always intrigued me Gabriella, you were never just Danny's sister to me…you've always been so much more." I must have looked like an idiot just standing there with a blank face. This is what I've dreamt of for so long, what I've wished for. I never actually thought about what I'd do if it actually came true.

"You don't have to say anything; I just wanted you to know. This is a surprise to me too, I've been out with lots of girls, not that they matter, I mean…shit I shouldn't have said that umm…" He starting rubbing the back of neck with his hand nervously, trying to find the right words. And here I thought I was freaking out.

"It's just, I've never felt this way about anyone…and it scared me. Every time I thought of you as more then Danny's little sister, which was basically every time I saw you, I would try and shake the thoughts away. Usually by going out with some other girl. I know it wasn't the smartest thing to do, but I was confused and scared and I don't know…it's complicated." He sighed. Now I felt bad, making him do all the work while I just stood here like a penguin.

"I understand." His head shot up at me, his eyes widening then scrunching in confusion.

"You…you were supposed to just be my brother's best friend. But I never saw you that way. You're always at my house and I…it was hard. That's why I always acted like such an airhead with the stuttering and stuff sometimes. Because, because you took my breath away. You always have." I elaborated, watching as a small smile began to form on his lips, the ones that I already wanted to kiss again.

"What took us so long then?" He said, amusement in his eyes.

"I don't know, I guess we were both just…scared." I replied.

"I'm not anymore." He said softly, his face inches away from mine.

"That makes two of us." I smiled before he leant down and kissed me once more. His arms wrapped tightly around my waist as my hands wound around his neck. We pulled apart a few seconds later, my head comfortably in the crook of his neck while his chin rested on the top of my head.

"I think I kinda sorta might be in love with you too." I said with a smirk, giggling as I felt him chuckle above me. That moment, was the most unforgettable moment of my life. A memory I made a special place in my heart for, to keep locked away and safe forever.

"Troy where the hell are you dude?" Then the moment was ruined.

We jumped apart, looking at my bedroom door simultaneously.

"What do you think Danny will say about 'us'?" I liked the sound of 'us.'

"We'll just have to wait and see." I replied with a smile.

He laced our hands together, making my smile grow wider. The small action meant so much to me. It was as if he was telling me that no matter what, we'd face it together. Just me and him. We walked towards the door, looking at each other before he turned the knob and we came face to face with my brother. Danny looked straight down at our locked hands, his face void of all emotions. That's what I always hated about Danny, you could never figure out what he was thinking because he was so good at keeping a straight face. Right now was the worst time for him to possess that darn trait.

"About time." That's all he said. Can. You. Freakin'. Believe it? I can't.

"That's it?" Troy spoke up bravely.

"Whatever, just no more being alone in bedrooms. If you guys wanna act all lovey dovey, do it somewhere your close in proximity to other people. Capiche?"

Me and Troy looked at each other simultaneously, smiles growing on both our faces.

"Capiche."

**Okay, just in case you guys don't know what 'capiche' means, it's from Full House haha. It pretty much means 'deal' or 'okay'. I know this seemed kind of rushed, but keep in mind that they've known each other for years and both have had feelings for each other. I hope I didn't disappoint. Sadly, next chapter will be the last. Please REVIEW!**

**I do not own YouTube or High School Musical. Only the plot.**


	6. Baby, It's Cold Outside

**Alright guys, here it is. The very last chapter. I'm going to try and put everything in this, hopefully it won't disappoint. I'll try my best to end this story with a bang. Thanks again to everyone who reviewed, favorited, and alerted this story. Good feedback means a lot to a writer, so you all are much appreciated. Please review, I'd love to know what you think of the outcome of this story. Enjoy!**

Chapter 6

Baby, It's Cold Outside

_You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch  
You really are a heel  
You're as cuddly as a cactus, you're as charming as an eel, Mr. Grinch  
You're a bad banana with a greasy black peel!_

"That's offensive."

"What is?" Troy turned as the light turned green, glancing at me.

"This song! I thought at the end of the movie, the Grinch turns out good." I replied.

"He does." He shrugged.

_I wouldn't touch you with a thirty-nine-and-a-half foot pole!_

_You're a vile one, Mr. Grinch  
You have termites in your smile  
You have all the tender sweetness of a seasick crocodile, Mr. Grinch_

"Then why is this song insulting him? Don't you think that if the Grinch heard this it'd make him pretty sad?" I turned my body in the passenger seat so I could see my boyfriend better. Yup, you heard me. _Boyfriend_. Jealous? Hah, you should be. Just kidding. Sort of.

"I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this, but the Grinch isn't real Gabs." He placed one hand on my thigh, giving me a mocking look.

"Hah. Hah. I know that. But still, if they were going to play songs like this then they should have just kept him evil in the movie. Doesn't make sense." I turned back so I was facing the front, crossing my arms stubbornly. If you haven't noticed, I am a very opinionated person. This is just preposterous. If you were evil, then turned good, would you want a song playing about you saying how the three words to describe you are 'stink,' 'stank,' and 'stunk'? That's just mean and inhumane if you ask me.

"You're the cutest thing ever, you know that?" He smiled cheekily at me. He still had the ability to make my insides melt, I doubt that will ever go away.

"So I've been told." I smiled back. He kept his eyes on the road whilst lacing his right hand with my left one. When did my life get so…amazing? Oh yah, as soon as Troy Bolton entered it.

So you must be wondering 'what's going on, where are we, what'd you miss?' Well pretty much ever since that day on my balcony, things with me and Troy-Boy(I call him that sometimes to piss him off tehe) have been…up and down. Currently we are together. It's Facebook official. It's been many, many months you could say, as you can probably tell by the Christmas music currently playing. Ah the holidays, my favorite time of the year. If only it would snow. That's one thing I've always wanted during the winter season; snow. But of course in Albuquerque, it's nonexistent. It has snowed here before, but very rarely. I haven't personally witnessed it, but my mom has. And one day, I will.

I smiled as we pulled into my driveway, admiring the beautiful white lights adorning the exterior of the house. I shut the door behind me, smiling up at Troy as he came around the car to take my hand once again. We walked hand in hand up the patio, entering the warm house. It felt so good compared to the chill of the weather outside. My smile grew wider as my nose caught the scent of pumpkin.

"My baby." I whipped my head in the direction of the voice; not hesitating to run into my mother's waiting arms.

"Hi Mom." I breathed out, inhaling the familiar scent of my mother.

"Oh Gabi, I've missed you so much." We pulled apart, still holding onto each other by the arms. She looked me up and down, as if inspecting me for radical changes like tattoos or any body piercings.

"I've missed you too." I looked back at Troy, who was still standing at the doorway, not wanting to interrupt our mother-daughter reunion.

"Troy. Get over here, I've missed you too." My mom waved him over and hugged him in the same maternal way she just hugged me. You gotta love moms.

Fooled you didn't I? Okay, maybe it hasn't been months since that day on the balcony, more like years. Did I forget to mention that? Oh well. Me and Troy stayed together all through high school. We had our ups and downs; short break ups, fights, but what couple doesn't? The time came for him to fly the coop, leave the nest, spread his wings; in other words, go to college. That, ladies and gentleman, was one of the hardest things I'd ever had to go through. Him leaving is something I never want to encounter again. Hopefully, I won't. After a tearful goodbye, he went off to the University of Albuquerque, U of A, with Danny. I knew I had to be strong, suck it up, and let him go. And I did. But man was it hard.

The first couple of months weren't that bad, he'd come down every weekend with my bum of a brother, sometimes just him, and it'd be great, seeing him at the end of the week got me through the week itself. Then, after a few months his visits became less and less, Danny being the only one to arrive. I was sure 'us' was falling apart. We ended up having a heartbreaking breakup over the phone, cliché right? He explained to me how hard it was to see me for a day or two, then have to leave. He said it was too painful and that he loved me. I thought it was complete bullshit. For numerous nights I cried myself to sleep, wishing that he'd come back to me. That we could just go back to that perfect night out on my balcony.

As quickly as quickly can be, it was time for me to spread my own wings. I decided to apply to U of A, and a few other places too. When I got my acceptance letter from U of A, I just cried. What now? Do I go and try to get him back? Do I go and pretend he doesn't exist? Do I avoid him and go to another school? I did get in at other colleges…but U of A had always been my first choice. It's close to home; the best incentive.

I made my final decision and reluctantly started packing all my stuff. Graduation day came, one of the saddest days ever. Me, Tay, and Shar were all in tears. Taylor went off to NYU, New York University. After all, she was the smartest girl in our class; I had complete faith in her. Sharpay ended up going to Berkeley in California for the drama department; it was her calling. She promised me front row seats in her first Broadway play. I plan to hold her to that.

Anyways, rewind. Graduation day was a surprise. A _big_ surprise.

"_I'm bringing a friend with me to your graduation Gabi."_ Danny had said. I didn't think anything of it, just nodded. Big mistake.

You can't imagine my surprise when I walk up on stage to get my diploma, I look out in the crowd to wave at my family, and Troy freaking Bolton is sitting right next to my dumbass brother, wearing the lop sided smile that I love so much. I froze right on stage, only snapping back to reality when my principle put his hand on my shoulder. I walked off stage and back to my seat, still in a dazed state. I had imagined that. I was sure I'd imagined it. He was just a hallucination Gabi, get yourself together.

After the ceremony, I plastered a smile on my face, looking around the crowd of people trying to catch a glimpse of my own family. I spotted my mom excitedly waving at me, a tissue in hand.

"_Oh Gabi, you're all grown up." I smiled and sucked in a breath, preparing myself for her suffocating embrace. After a minute, she reluctantly let go, letting me hug my dad who was looking at me with that 'I'm so proud of you' look that made my eyes fill with tears. Then out of nowhere, a pair of arms wrapped around my stomach, lifting me off the ground and spinning me around to come face to face with him. My giddy laughter died down and my smile faded, being replaced with a wide eyed 'holy nachos' expression. Oh shhhnap, maybe I wasn't hallucinating earlier._

"_My wittle sister is not so wittle anymore." Danny pinched my cheeks, causing me to come back to the real world and slap his hand away playfully before hugging him too. _

"_Gabi, you remember Troy." No dip Sherlock. I was only in love with the guy._

"_Yes Daniel. I don't have all timers." I whipped my head around at the familiar chuckle._

"_Don't you mean Alzheimer's?" God did he look good. His hair was still the same, shaggy and looked swept up. He was wearing a crisp black suit that made me want to jump him right there, mmm how I loved a man in a uniform. Or in his case, anything…or nothing. Wink wink. _

"_Nope, I say what I mean." I finally formed a smile. "Hi Troy." _

"_Hi Gabriella." _

And the rest is history. Hah no I'm kidding. Long story short, we ended up making out in my bedroom upstairs during the after party at my house. Graceful huh? My emotions were so mixed up after seeing him, I slipped away from the party to watch from above; my balcony. Next thing you know, history is repeating itself and me and Troy end up professing our love for each other, again. My balcony is now and forever will be my favorite place in the world.

"_What are you doing up here Troy?" I spun around, still in my white dress with pink faded roses. _

"_What do you think?" He replied huskily, taking a few steps closer._

"_I...You tell me." I gulped, not knowing how to respond and having a sudden feeling of déjà vu. _

"_Remember the last time we were on this balcony?" We came on my balcony many times, but I knew which time he was referring to._

"_Please Troy, I don't feel like reminiscing the past." I sighed and turned around, leaning on the railing cautiously._

"_I came back for a reason." I could feel his breath near my bare shoulder._

"_You didn't like the food at U of A?" I played dumb._

"_Guess again." Hot damn I missed his voice._

"_You missed your parents?" I played dumber._

"_Yah, but not quite. Try again."_

"_Look Troy I-"_

"_Just let me ask you one question." He stood beside me, way too close for my comfort. He wasn't making it easy for me to keep my cool and collected demeanor._

_I nodded, avoiding eye contact. One look in those baby blues and I'd be a goner._

"_Do you still love me?" He almost whispered. I wasn't even sure if I'd heard him right until I finally looked up and met his captivating gaze. _

"_I…Troy…This isn't a good id-"_

"_All reason aside, just answer the question Gabriella." He cut me off again._

_I looked down, a tear slipping past my eye. _

"_Yes."_

That's all it took for him to turn me towards him in one swift movement, pick me up by the waist, push me up against the wall next to my balcony doors, and kiss me mercilessly. And I didn't stop him. I wrapped my legs around his waist, reveling in the feeling of kissing him, touching him, being in his arms again. I knew right then that I was fooling myself from the beginning. I couldn't live without Troy Bolton. After that night, everything seemed to fall into place.

I went off to U of A; starting a new chapter in my complicated life. With Troy.

So that's pretty much what's happened between now and then, you following?

"I always looked forward to Christmas movies." I snuggled deeper into Troy, never getting tired of being in his arms.

"Me too, they never get old." We were currently snuggled up on the living room couch, the fireplace crackling and the Christmas tree twinkling. Picture perfect or what?

I glanced out the window, wondering when my brother was going to arrive with Eva. Whose Eva you ask? Eva is Danny's new girlfriend. She works with him at the Starbucks near campus, that's how they met. Cute huh? How he managed to snatch a catch like her is beyond me. She's such a sweetheart; we became good friends from the first handshake. My mom has been questioning me and Troy about her nonstop. I pity Eva; she's going to have to endure a long interrogation after she meets my mother. Hopefully, mom will be subtle. But don't count on it. As I continued starring out the window, I narrowed my eyes as I noticed a few white specks floating around the air. My eyes widened in realization. No freaking way.

"Oh my god." I jumped up from the couch.

"What? What's wrong?" Troy got up worriedly.

"Snow." That's all I said before I bolted for the door, no shoes and all.

I stepped out into the grass, ignoring the cold air that hit me once I opened the door. I walked into the middle of the lawn, spreading my arms out and looking up into the sky. Never had it looked so beautiful. The snow was falling gracefully, sticking to the cool ground. I stuck my tongue out, trying to catch a few flurries.

"Wow." I looked over to the patio; Troy was standing there looking around with the same glimmer of amazement in his eyes that mine held. My smile grew as I began twirling around, silently thanking the higher powers for giving me so much to be grateful for; the snow being the icing on the cake.

"It's beautiful!" I exclaimed, still twirling.

"Yeah, you are." I stopped and looked at Troy, who was looking at me like I was the most precious thing in the world. The look that made my knees weak and my heart melt.

He stepped off the patio, coming towards me. As I felt the snow falling around me, and watched as the love of my life walked towards me, I realized I was the luckiest woman in the world. I'd never need anything more than what was right in front of me in this moment. This _unforgettable_ moment.

"Three years ago, for Christmas, you know what I asked Santa for?" He wrapped his arms around my waist as I lifted my arms to rest on his shoulders.

"What?" I giggled at his playful choice of words.

"You."

_Love does not run, love does not hide, love does not keep locked inside. Love is a river that flows through and love never fails you._

THE END

**Okay, what do you guys think? I tried to explain the past few years and also add into where they are now. It's really fluffy and I tried my very best. Hopefully the flashbacks don't confuse you. If you have any questions or don't understand, please feel free to message me or ask me in a review. Please, please, please REVIEW. This is, after all, the last chapter. Feedback would be amazing. Thanks to all my readers and followers, love you all. Thanks for all the support!**

**I do not own the songs **_**The Grinch Song**_** or **_**Love Never Fails, or Starbucks **_**or anything else except the plot/storyline.**


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